Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Union Bay

Beautifully serene - this is Union Bay on the east cost of Vancouver Island in

British Columbia, Canada

Union Wharf, founded in 1888 by the Union Coal Co was one of
the busiest ports on the Pacific coast. In its hey day Union Bay bustled with
activity: coastal ferries, tugs with barges, sailing ships, steamships and
freighters from all corners of the world called for cargo and bunker coal.

Huge
locomotives brought long trains of coal cars, from the mines near Cumberland,
to the shipping wharf. A 600-ton capacity washer screened and separated the
coal. Large bunkers at the north end of town stored coal. 200 bee-hive coke
ovens burned continuously and produced coke for copper smelters along the
coast.

Around the clock smaller steam engines shunted coal cars between washer,
bunkers and dock, loading the ships from the 60 foot-high wharf which stretched
560 feet out into the bay. The port closed in 1961 and the wharf was
dismantled.

8 comments:

Lovely pictures and interesting post about a beautiful spot I don’t recall visiting, even though I am comparatively close on the Mainland. The coal industry had such a big impact on towns and still does today, although the health hazards surrounding coal are oddly still being minimized and analysed even today. PS: I wanted to add I hope you have an awesome stay on the Island. The weather is warming up and there are sure to be some spectacular views to enjoy.